


Bloodletting

by Igot2peedou



Category: Avatar (TV), Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AU, Azula - Freeform, Culture, Firelord, Menstruation, Nightmares, Other, Princess Azula struggles, Sadness, The Fire Nation - Freeform, Ursa - Freeform, period, ruling, womanhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-08 18:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13464321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Igot2peedou/pseuds/Igot2peedou
Summary: Crying is for fools and children.Ursa had always cried. Azula saw. Zuko never did, never thought to look. He was so easy. The woman, croaking a broken tune.





	Bloodletting

 

"My little Azula how could I ever leave you?"

Ursa brushes her daughters bangs out of her eyes. "I love you far too much." Ursa kisses Azula's forehead, smiling. It doesn't reach her eyes.

 

* * *

 

There is a dull ache blooming near her pelvis area. Azula frowns, attempting to recall if she suffered any injury to cause her discomfort. No, there had been no injury. No heel to the stomach no sucker punch. Something she ate than. Yes. That must be it, she decides. Throwing her covers aside Azula shuffles into the bathroom. With a flex of her fingers the lanterns blaze blue before easing into a steady orange. The sun had not risen yet that she could be sure of. With every sunrise the sun called to her, wakening her from sleep, an internal clock she had no wish to ignore. Today was different. Today she had beat the sun. Azula frowned at her reflection.

Her hair was a mess. Nightmares, she supposed. With an annoyed sigh, she sits on the chamber pot. Even Princess' enjoyed their morning piss (not that she would ever admit it. The courts would be scandalized and her father? Oh he would have her head.) With these thoughts in mind she began to do her business, not paying any attention to routine. Until she saw it. Azula could only stare. Blood. Dark and discolored but recognizably blood. Almost absent mindlessly Azula glanced into her chamber pot, spotting white dotted with what was in her undergarments. The pieces began to fit. The flames in the room began to flicker, leaning towards the Princess. If she had not been so still this could have gave her away.

‘Letting. Azula's very first.

She acts quickly, snatching the offending garments away from her ankles. She sneers at them in disgust, before they are claimed by her fire. 

 

 

Her lips wobbled, for the briefest moment she could taste tears rising at the back of her throat. It burned in a unique way that fire never could. Azula swallowed, remembering her place. She stares down at the distraught mother. "Please Princess- my daughter has not even had her first Bloodletting. I... I fear she is too young." The woman's voice trembles at the end. Fear or fury? Azula trains her face neutral, fair and just. A ruler must see all sides. She nods to the nobleman, ready to hear his piece. "The House of Kai owe an extensive debt to mine. I have been lenient but now I cannot allow such any longer. One young daughter is but a small price to pay." He smiles at her. "I suspect the Royal family would agree."

 

_You suspect wrong._ If only to wipe the smug smile tugging at his ghastly lips. 

 

It has been a long day, and as Crown Princess of the Fire Nation her people are her duty. Not that she has much more to learn. Azula stares at him. "She is not of marriageable age nor has she had her first Bloodletting by all accounts you have no legal standing." The nobleman does not shy beneath her gaze. "I do not plan to marry her." The rest is left unsaid but even a blind man can see the wicked gleam in his eyes.

Now this, this is interesting.

Azula resists shifting in her chair. That would be beneath her. Royalty had to bare pain, endure the responsibilities of Their Nation- the discomfort expanding like a fire'loon in her stomach, that is nothing. Her body rebels working against her. Azula hides her grimace with a delicate twist, eyebrow raised. 

Noble house, all name no power. She ponders The House of Kai's slow descent through the years. Gambling was it? Loyal but hedonistic if the patriarchs of the family were a true representation of the old house. Azula's eyes flicker to the woman. Lei was it? Yes. A respectable woman, one who runs the house while her husband is away, House crumbling like sand through her fingers, assets dwindling, and now. Well now she is here. Dark long hair pinned in an acceptable style of her station. Azula feels a stab of pain, twisting. She waves her hand. "I tire of this frivolous civil matter. Do as you please." 

Lei bares her pain well. Not so well Azula can't read her from a mile away. 

  
Azula is deaf to the nobleman's groveling, tinged with hoggish satisfaction.  
The woman bends low. "Thank you Princess Azula."

Both parties exit. Azula leans over to a servant,"Fetch the woman. I will have her in my quarters after I am finished with the petitioners."  

 

"Do you love your daughter?"  
"Yes Princess, with all my heart." 

Azula leans against her bedpost, tilting her slightly. "My father would have never allowed such a waste in the courts. How did you know I would be there?"   
"I didn't. I could only hope."

"Hope that the Just Firelord was not there to carry out justice!"  
"Of course not Princess. Any decision made by the Royal Family is righteous. Especially the mighty Firelord Ozia's- and, I called in a favor."

Azula tsked. "Hardly clever. Should you be accumulating more debt Lei?” Her voice is bathed in amusement, a question they both knew the answer to. “Your father has after all, quiet the reputation... However, I do have a proposal." 

 

 

 

 

"I... I can't. Please, A- Princess Azula. My daughter!"  
One look from the Princess and Lei knows that in her hysteria she had slipped.

 

* * *

 

 

Azula sings. Splashes, drips down her forehead and down her nose. Her joints feel stiff but that can't be helped, only the warming of her inner fire assuages the ache. She regrets weakness. No! Never regret. She detests her weakness. But only this once- only... only until she is a woman grown. Then, then she might know how to bare even this pain. 

The woman's eyes are rimmed red. Crying. Crying is for fools and children. She is no longer a child, so she swallows the rising emotion in her chest. Her moth-  _she_ had always cried too. Azula saw. Zuko never did, never thought to look. He was so easy. The woman, croaking a broken tune. When it's her daughters turn all she will see is Azula. Gold eyes. She is sure of it. Azula continues singing, as is tradition. The song of life it's self. Lei sings. Sad sad sad. Just like  _her._

Well. Would it have been better to let her daughter become a split legged whore? 

The answer was no. Otherwise, Azula rationed, why would she be here? The woman expertly spread out the substance, Azula knew that it represented childhood- girlhood and purity. She can't remember a time before what came next. 

 

 

 

(But the woman, Lei is crying, hands shaking.) 

 

 

 

 

Delicate strokes of red. Red spreads, soaking into the white, absorbing and transforming. Another stroke and more white is claimed. Another. And another. And another. Soon there is nothing. There is no room for this woman's sadness. There was no room for The GrandFire Lady's,  _her mother’s,_ there was never a place for her own. Why should the common noble wear her pain, scream it by her mere existence? Azula shudders. 

She has committed an act of treason. She has lowered herself below her rank. She... she has ruined the sacred tradition of Bloodletting between a mother and daughter. 

"Leave. Our agreement will be honored." 

Azula can hear Lei all the way down the hall. Imagines her return home. To her daughter. Cradles her, whispers that man is gone- he'll never hurt her mommy has (mommy has ~~betrayed you. She left she's gone~~ ) - baby shh, shh. And the girl is young. Buries herself into her mothers bosom. Lei looks into her daughters eyes. They are golden.

 

 

Azula wants to scream.   
But all she can manage is strange empty silence.  

 

 

 

  

  

**Author's Note:**

> So Bloodletting is the Fire Nations way of celebrating the transition from girl to woman. Obviously Ursa is gone and I left so hints about why Azula doesn't notify Ozai . The tradition is sacred and supposed to be between a mother and daughter solely. That's why Lei is very upset. I have other ideas for traditions and stuff - I don't know too much about Chinese traditions or how ATLA did their worldbuilding but I thought it would be a fun concept. 
> 
> It'd be cool if anyone would like to drop a comment or criticism oooor a kudo.  
> Thanks for reading!


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